The Literacy Connection to Close Dec. 15

The Board of Directors of The Literacy Connection announced last week that they will be closing The Literacy Connection’s offices, located at the Olde Towne Mall, 20 S. Main St, Suite 5, Janesville, and effective Dec. 15. The following statement was released by The Literacy Connection’s Board of Directors: “To the residents of Janesville and Northern Rock County: It is with great regret and much consideration that we announce the closure of The Literacy Connection’s office and suspension of direct service delivery effective Dec. 15, 2016. Despite much effort, it has become clear that the organization is no longer sustainable in its current form. The continual need to obtain funding, volunteers and community support in order to adequately address a full-time issue has become too much for a part-time, volunteer-driven organization to handle. This closure does not affect partner programs at Faith Lutheran Church in Janesville, St. John Lutheran Church in Evansville, or the basic study skills program offered at UW-Rock County; these programs will continue to operate independently and provide services under the direction of their respective agencies.

The Literacy Connection has been an advocate for literacy in Janesville and Northern Rock County for more than 45 years. During that time, it has partnered with many local organizations to provide tutoring and other services to hundreds of students. We have worked closely and continue to partner with Hedberg Public Library to ensure some level of literacy education remains. Materials and resources from The Literacy Connection office will be donated to organizations with similar missions. We are keenly aware that the need still very much exists. Current student-tutor pairs are being encouraged to continue to meet and work toward the literacy-related goals that have been established. In addition, The Literacy Connection will remain an active 501(c)3 organization with the hope that a fresh set of literacy advocates can find and implement a new, sustainable approach to providing adult literacy services for the community.

We wish to express our deepest gratitude to the staff, volunteers, partners and donors to The Literacy Connection. We are grateful for all that you have done to keep our doors open for so long. It has been a privilege to serve as members of The Literacy Connection Board of Directors. We hope that the many years of service to the Community will inspire others to rally around literacy and skill-building education.

Thank you,

The Literacy Connection Board of Directors (Rick Mueller, Eric Kuznacic, Wendy Garvey, Ken Brosky, Elizabeth Hough, Stephanie Aegerter, Jean Spade, Dave Carlson, Janis Ringhand)”